INDIAN WELLS: Top seed Caroline Wozniacki advanced to the semifinals in Indian Wells this morning when her opponent Victoria Azarenka of Belarus retired because of a hip injury when trailing 3-0.

The eighth-seeded Azarenka, a close friend of Wozniacki, suffered the injury while trying to play a forehand during the second point of the third game in the opening set.

Denmark's Wozniacki will next meet Russian Maria Sharapova, who recovered from a dismal serving display in the second set to battle past China's Peng Shuai 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 on the showpiece stadium court.

Champion here in 2006, 16th seed Sharapova appeared to be in cruise control after sweeping through the first set and going 2-0 up in the second but the Russian then doublefaulted seven times for Peng to level the match.

The final set began with four successive breaks of serve before the Russian, regaining form with her crunching forehand, broke Peng in the seventh and ninth games to seal victory in two hours and 22 minutes.

"I turned it on for the first set and a half and then my level definitely dropped," Sharapova said.

"She took advantage of that and it was important for me to stay tough. I knew the match wasn't over until the last point."

RESULTS

This morning
Quarterfinals
Men
Juan Martin de Potro (ESP) bt Tommy Robredo (ESP) walkover; Rafael Nadal (ESP) bt Ivo Karlovic (CRO) 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (9-7)

Women
Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) bt Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 3-0 retired; Maria Sharapova (RUS) bt Peng Shuai (CHN)
6-2, 5-7, 6-3

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KUALA LUMPUR: Iskandar Pewira is the Malaysia Snooker and Billiards Federation (MSBF) treasurer but is totally clueless about their financial affairs.

That was the stunning revelation by Iskandar who said: "I'm only treasurer in name and I see MBSF's financial books only when they are tabled at meetings."

Neither snooker nor billiards will be included in this year's Malaysia Games (Sukma) because of "time constraints" and the National Sports Council (NSC) declared the proposed budget of RM200,000 to organise the sport at Sukma by MSBF was "too costly".

"What proposed budget?

Honestly, I don't know where the money goes. I don't even hold the cheque books.

"Perhaps you should ask (executive secretary) Patricia Kang," Iskandar suggested.

Iskandar also pleaded ignorance when asked about the allowances paid by NSC to Patricia even after she "left MSBF to take up a job with a local private varsity".

This is shown in the minutes of MSBF council meeting on March 5, 2010.

NSC continued to disburse RM1,500 monthly until October, apparenty because they assumed Patricia was still helping out the association.

Apparently, NSC sent a letter to MSBF this morning asking for an explanation over the status of their executive secretary.

The same meeting saw then president Prof Datuk WY Chin saying: "...meanwhile Patricia is not leaving MSBF altogether until the end of the year, perhaps she will still help out, if needed, for all necessary contacts by phones without having to physically attend thereto. Henceforth, all physical attendance on behalf of MSBF will be now duly represented by SS Chua."

The minutes also revealed MSBF agreed to give RM20,000 to Patricia "as a token of appreciation for her depature from MSBF".

However, Patricia is still listed as the executive secretary on the MSBF website.

Also in question is the legitimacy of council members who represent State associations that are not registered with the Sports Commissioner's office.

Checks with Sports Commissioner Datuk Yassin Salleh revealed only Perlis, Johor, Penang, Terengganu, Kedah, Perak, Kelantan and Selangor are registered with them.

The MSBF Constitution & Bylaws vaguely defined Membership and The Federal Council in Article 5 and 6 respectively.

Article 5.3 (Affiliate Members) reads: "These shall be State Associations not yet registered under the Sports Commissioner's Office and trade organisations connected with the billiards sports. Two representatives thereof shall be co-opted to Council but are without voting rights".

Article 6.2, meanwhile, says: "The Council shall consist of the following members who ought to be elected and / or appointed by Council, whichever applicable..... One of two appointed representatives representing the Affiliate Memberships".

However, Article 15(1) of the Sports Development Act 1997 states: "Every sports body shall apply to the commissioner to be registered under this Act to carry out any sporting activity".

Article 25(1)(c), meanwhile, reads: "Such sports body shall not be a member of any body or organisation acting as or purporting to act as the governing body of any sport in Malaysia or represent or purport to represent the participants of any sport in Malaysia".

Raymond Lim, who replaced Chin as president in December, resigned on Jan 17.

He has declined to comment on the matter.

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